***HEY THIS CHAPTER WAS WRITTEN BY ANOTHERWORLD-AWAITS ON TUMBLR! CHECK HER OUT. This chapter has been reformatted to fit my tastes, so there's a few pronoun changes, nothing that majorly distracts from the original work.***

This was written WITHOUT Vanitas' helmet, while my part he has a helmet, but I kept his helmet-less in for fluff's sake here. Usual rules for my other fics apply here with the thoughts: Vanitas, Ventus and Sora.

World: The Land of Departure

Time: Midday

Ventus opened his right eye, peeking over at Aqua who was meditating quietly.

"Ventus!" Master Eraqus boomed.

Ventus jumped, and Aqua sighed.

"Why must you break my concentration?" she asked.

"Ventus has to learn to keep his eyes shut during mediation or he's never going to be able to dive into his heart and discover his true power," Eraqus explained.

"Maybe I'm just not cut out for the spiritual side of being a Keyblade Master," Ventus admitted, running his fingers through his spiky blonde hair.

"I sure wasn't," Terra mentioned.

He was leaning against a training dummy, his keyblade swung over his shoulder. Aqua huffed and stood up, storming past him.

"I'll find a more private place to meditate," she said, leaving the training yard.

Terra shrugged. "She's always like this."

"You cannot ignore the spiritual side of your Keyblade training," Eraqus lectured him. He glared over at Terra. "And you shouldn't either."

Terra merely shrugged. Ventus was staring up at the sky, hardly paying any mind to him. He was always daydreaming. Eraqus stomped on the ground by his face, causing him to jump up again. Terra laughed.

"Are you listening to me?" Eraqus asked.

"Yeah, yeah," Ventus lied.

"Try again," Eraqus demanded. "And this time, don't open your eyes."

Ventus sighed in frustration, crossing his legs and closing his eyes reluctantly. He did everything Aqua and Eraqus had instructed him to do. He shut off his senses, focusing solely on the power he wielded inside of him. His heart…he was supposed to be able to feel it pulsing with power in the very depth of his being. He should be able to dive into his soul and access this power. Only then could he truly wield the keyblade properly.

But when he delved into the depths of his heart he became afraid. He was fractured, broken, and he felt himself spiraling down into an empty darkness. He clawed back up into his consciousness, his head aching. He gritted his teeth and stood up.

"My head hurts," Ventus mumbled.

"We'll try again tomorrow," Eraqus said.

You say that every day, Ventus thought.

Terra began to thrash away at the training dummy with his Keyblade, free to make all the noise he wanted now that Aqua was gone and Ven was done with his meditating session for the day. Ventus admired him, watching in awe as Terra wielded the keyblade beautifully.

We all have one dream. I know he'll achieve it someday... But will I?

The blonde continued to ponder. Ventus sat down in the grass on the edge of the training field, watching Eraqus instruct Terra. He lay back in the grass, closing his eyes. His head didn't hurt once he stopped trying to access the power in his heart.

I don't know what it is that's so terrifying. Maybe…no…

He didn't remember much about his past and sometimes he wondered if his shattered heart was a testament to that. Maybe it was so horrible that he'd destroyed that part of his life and trying to access it now was the source of his pain. He kept this a secret from his friends and Master Eraqus however. What would they think? They'd think he was crazy is what they'd think.

"Why, Master Eraqus! It's been ages."

Ven sat up when he heard a dark, booming voice speak behind him. He looked back to see an old bald man in a dark coat come walking up, his arms spread out in a wide friendly gesture, his yellow eyes glimmering.

Why does he look so familiar?

Master Eraqus smiled and paused his training with Terra to shake the man's hand.

"Master Xehanort, it's good to see you," Master Eraqus said. "And who's this?"

Ventus stood up to see the boy Eraqus was referring to. He walked up behind Master Xehanort, standing beside him with an air of confidence. He wore armor just like Ventus but it was black and red. His hair was just as dark as his clothes and was spiked up, sticking out at crazy angles. When he looked over at Ventus his heart raced. His eyes were the same golden hue as Master Xehanort's but they held something else as well. Something Ventus couldn't recognize, but he felt it. It was powerful and it pulled him in.

"Hopefully your next pupil," Master Xehanort said.

"Vanitas," the mysterious boy said.

Vanitas… Those words struck a cord inside.

"And you'd like to train with me? I'll let you know, I'm much stricter than Master Xehanort," Eraqus said. Vanitas laughed, a charming, yet dark sound.

"Exactly why I've come to you." The raven haired boy responded.

"Besides," Xehanort continued. "I have business to attend to in Radiant Gardens. I have no time at the present to keep up with Vanitas's training."

"Very well," Eraqus said.

Xehanort smiled.

"I hope you'll still be observing Aqua and Terra's Mark of Mastery Exam," Eraqus said.

"Of course," Xehanort said. "And who knows, you may have another candidate for the Exam."

Eraqus raised his eyebrows. "We shall see then."

Xehanort said his goodbyes. Ventus noticed Vanitas eyeing him and quickly looked away from those piercing yellow eyes, preferring to count the blades of grass around his feet.

"So how tough are you, Vanitas?" Terra asked, waltzing up to Eraqus's new pupil.

"Why don't you fight me and find out?" Vanitas challenged.

Eraqus chuckled. "Perfect. I can judge your talents right away."

Terra winked at Ventus, slinging his Keyblade up over his shoulder. They walked out to the center of the training field, clearing all training dummies to make room for their fight. Vanitas and Terra stood at opposite sides of the field, Terra in a prepared battle stance, Vanitas simply standing there calmly.

"Ready…One…Two…"

Vanitas thrust out his hand, a Keyblade materializing in his palm. It looked like a gear and matched his armor.

"Fight!"

Vanitas flew at Terra, coming down on him from above. Terra narrowly blocked his attack, thrusting him back. Vanitas jabbed his Keyblade into Terra's side and he fell on the ground, instantly jumping up and circling around him. Ventus watched from the sidelines, biting his lip in anticipation.

"You can do it, Terra!" Ventus cheered.

Terra attempted to strike Vanitas from behind but he spun around and blocked his attack, sending him flying to the ground.

"Come on, is that all ya got?" Vanitas asked with a devilish smirk.

Terra gritted his teeth and bounded up, flying at him with a powerful overhead swipe. It hit Vanitas's shoulder and deflected off his armor. He brushed it off, scowling at the scratch.

"Well, now," he growled, making one last attack.

He slashed Terra in the stomach, sprawling him out flat on the ground. Terra's Keyblade disappeared and a pool of blood started to form beneath his fallen body.

"Terra!" Ventus screamed, running onto the field.

Ventus fell down onto his knees beside his friend. Vanitas smirked down at them.

"Guess I win," he said.

Eraqus calmly walked over and raised his Keyblade up into the air. A small green orb floated above Terra and sprinkled down curing magic. He groaned, sitting up, his wound healed but his clothes still bloody.

"Go clean up," Eraqus ordered.

Terra scowled at Vanitas as he stood up.

"Come on, Ven," Terra said, storming away.

"Looks like you have some competition," Eraqus called after Terra.

Ventus stood there frozen for a moment, held by Vanitas's gaze.

"Are you coming?" Terra called back.

"Oh, um, yeah," Ventus said, running off after his friend.

Vanitas watched him leave, smiling.

"That was very impressive," Eraqus told him.

"Thank you, Master Eraqus," Vanitas said.

"I'm glad you've decided to become my pupil," he continued. "I believe you will do quite well here in the Land of Departure."

"Yes, I believe so too," Vanitas said.

"Let me show you to your room," Eraqus offered, gesturing him arm towards the house.

"Maybe later," Vanitas said. "I'd like to take a walk around the grounds alone. Helps me think."

Eraqus furrowed his eyebrows but agreed. "Alright."

Vanitas strolled off, circling around the castle. He came upon a blue haired girl meditating by a stream that flowed off the edge of the world. He leaned up against the arching entrance to the castle that was near her, noticing the faint glow of magic surrounding her, a calming aura.

She gasped, startled suddenly. She jumped up, her Keyblade appearing in her hands.

"Who are you?" she asked, pointing her Keyblade at him.

Vanitas raised his hands.

"I only wanted to introduce myself," he said. "I'm a new student here. My name is Vanitas."

Aqua scowled, lowering her Keyblade.

"I felt a dark shadow approaching me. It was you," Aqua said. "You harbor a great dark power within your heart."

"And you haven't felt the same from Terra?" Vanitas challenged.

Aqua opened her mouth, astonished. She frowned, not knowing what to say.

"I thought as much," Vanitas said. "Look, I know you three are all close. And I wouldn't want to harm your friendship. But sometimes you need to take a good hard look at how things are before you judge others."

He spun around and walked away from her, leaving her alone by the stream.

The next morning was their first official training session together. Ventus and Aqua hiked down to the training arena in the morning. Vanitas was already sitting on the edge of the field looking off at the mountains that seemed to float in the distance. Ventus stayed away from him, talking to Aqua about a strange dream he'd had the night before and ignoring the mysterious boy.

"I was on an island with all these tree houses, well, they weren't much like tree houses I guess. They were built into the mountain. It was so small, but beautiful," Ventus explained, his voice speculating.

"I've read about an island with star shaped fruit," Aqua told him.

"Yeah! It had those too," he realized.

Eraqus arrived then and they had no more time to talk. Vanitas hopped up and walked over to join them, stretching his arms up toward the hazy, blue sky.

"Where's Terra?" Eraqus asked them.

"Probably too good to train with me," Vanitas said. "I'm afraid I didn't make the best first impression."

Eraqus huffed and said, "Very well then."

He instructed them to practice their magic and stayed to observe Vanitas while Ventus went off with Aqua. Vanitas was more interested in watching Ventus than practicing himself, but he humored Master Eraqus and used limited magic. He held back his inner power that desired to whelm up every time he summoned his Keyblade. A dark, pressing force that sat in the reaches of his heart like a swamp swashing around in his stomach. It bubbled up and threatened to burst, to leap out from the tip of his Keyblade and explode in a splendorous display of shadows. But he kept it back, calming his nerves and breathing slowly and deeply. All his concentration was kept on his inner soul and detaining his true power. He had no time to watch Ventus until Master Eraqus was pleased with his fire and water conjuring.

Vanitas smirked when he watched Ventus lash out at a training dummy with his wind magic. Eraqus shook his head.

"You're doing fine, Ven," Aqua said with an encouraging smile.

"Why do you hold your Keyblade so awkwardly?" Vanitas asked, pointing his hand where the black Keyblade was held upside-down. He simply wielded it backhanded, unlike anyone else Vanitas had ever seen.

Ventus scowled.

"It's not awkward…" He argued.

Vanitas scoffed and with a flick of his wrist disintegrated the training dummy Ventus had been working on with a blast of fire magic. Ventus hated the way Eraqus beamed at his talented new pupil.

"That's enough for today," Eraqus announced, setting them free.

Ventus's Keyblade disappeared in a flash of white light and he walked off quickly. Vanitas had to jog to catch up to him but once he did he could walk leisurely beside him.

"What are you going to do with your afternoon?" Vanitas asked.

Ventus didn't look at him but Vanitas saw out of the corner of his eye the annoyed scowl Ventus was trying to hide. He was too polite to be downright rude to him, however much he wanted to be.

He'll change his mind, Vanitas thought.

"I'm going to find Terra," Ventus said. "Seeing as you guys don't like each other, maybe you shouldn't follow me."

"It's not that I don't like him," Vanitas explained. "He's the asshole,"

Ventus practically tripped over himself he was so shocked. His face was bright red and he looked away, hiding behind his strands of blonde hair.

"What the hell?! D-d-don't call him that!" Ventus stuttered.

Vanitas chuckled. "Tsk, tsk, you're so sensitive," Vanitas mentioned. He slung his arm around Ven's shoulder. "Lighten up."

Ventus shoved his arm away and hastened his step.

"Why don't you leave me alone?" The blonde complained. He ran up the steps of the castle and disappeared into the winding hallways.

Vanitas was smiling, loving the rise he'd gotten out of him. Picking on Ven was a good distraction and he only did it to entertain himself, get his mind off of more pressing matters. He strolled along the edges of the castle grounds admiring the beautiful lush greens and the sound of trickling water rushing over the rocks. He picked up a stone, feeling the smooth grey surface. This world was so drastically different than the world he was used to. Brown, dusty plateaus and dry heat. It was hell.

But what is this, then, since I know it will not last? Merely another prison Xehanort has placed me in, Vanitas thought. I know it will all be destroyed soon.

And that known fact was also another source of worry because those smiles he cast at Ventus were not just for show. There was a source fueling those smiles that he had never felt before. It lay hot in his cold stomach and made him feel woozy, as if he were light enough to float off the ground. Xehanort had told him that they had a connection. The extent of that connection he would never fully reveal.

"When the time comes, you will understand," Xehanort always said.

But Vanitas was impatient when it came to that sort of thing. He wanted to understand why he felt like he knew Ventus already. Why he wanted to spend every moment with him, even now, even though he'd snubbed him and gone off searching for Terra, Vanitas wanted to just watch him, if nothing else.

Thinking about how Ventus doted after that spoiled brat disgusted him, especially since it was obvious that Terra didn't care about Ven at all, at least from what Vanitas could see. He supposed he didn't know what those three had been through. He was the outsider and in a way he knew they were all against him. Aqua acted neutrally toward him ever since he'd talked to her. It was a peaceful sort of indifference they shared. Terra didn't try to hide his hate and Vanitas was fine with that. What he wanted to change was Ven's attitude. He seemed afraid. And he shouldn't be.

He just needs to give me a chance.

He took Terra's side automatically, as if he couldn't have a differing opinion. In a way it made sense why Ventus would feel that way. Terra was like his big brother. But Vanitas would make him change. He had to. It was the reason he was here.

Ventus has to trust me. Otherwise, I'll have let Xehanort down.

Vanitas thought. Even though Xehanort had never treated him well, Vanitas was afraid of what would happen if he failed. It'd be far worse than anything he'd endured thus far, he knew that for sure.

What Vanitas didn't understand was why Ventus was treating him so coldly. If Xehanort was right and they did have a connection, then why didn't Ven feel it too? Vanitas surely did. And it was an odd sensation, one he couldn't put words to.

Maybe Master Xehanort was wrong, Vanitas dared to think. Maybe there's nothing here at all.

He chucked the stone he'd been rubbing in his palm off into the clouds floating around the mountain and looked back at the castle. He wondered if Ventus had found Terra and what they were talking about.

Maybe, just maybe, Ventus is as afraid as I am, Vanitas preferred to think, because doubting Xehanort was challenging his own purpose in this world.

Ventus found Terra in the South Hall, staring out of the edge of the stone balcony. He didn't seem to be looking at anything, not even the glorious day lit mountains.

"You missed training," Ventus said, jumping up to sit on the ledge.

"I know," Terra said gruffly.

Ventus frowned, already feeling weird from the way Vanitas had treated him and not wanting to get a cold shoulder from Terra today. He needed his friend. He needed someone to explain the tightness in his chest and the hot blood that rushed to his cheeks. How he felt debilitated whenever he was around that mysterious boy and why he seemed so fascinated with him.

"I see why you don't like Vanitas," Ventus said. "He's a real creep."

"You're very observant," Terra said.

He figured from Terra's tone that he wasn't interested in talking about Vanitas then.

Ventus sighed and jumped off the ledge, hoping Terra would speak up and stop him from leaving. But he didn't.

Ventus wandered through the halls of the castle until he made his way to Aqua's room. He was hoping she would give him some advice, but she wasn't as against Vanitas as Terra was. She would probably just say something neutrally positive and blow it off, but it was worth a shot.

He knocked on Aqua's door and it took a second for her to open. She didn't open it wide and invite him in like normal. She peeked her head out from behind the door.

"Hey, Aqua," Ven said with his usual cheerful smile, even though he was far from cheerful in that moment.

"Ven," Aqua said in her nurturing tone, but there was a tinge to it that told him she didn't want him around.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

"I'm working on something," Aqua said. "It's a surprise, alright. I can't have you ruining it for yourself."

She shut the door in his face and he turned around.

Why is everyone acting so weird today?

He walked back to his own room and lay in his bed until supper. There was no one in the dining hall and Ventus just stared there looking at the empty room for a good minute or two before he decided to leave. He caught Master Eraqus in the hallway.

"Hey," Ven piped up, catching his attention. "Where is everyone?"

"Aqua told me she'd be meditating instead of coming to dinner tonight," Eraqus explained. "And I haven't heard from Terra all day. I'll have a talk with him, if I could only find him."

"Oh, I suppose you're looking for him now then," Ventus guessed.

Eraqus nodded. "I have a feeling he doesn't want to be found by me however."

Ventus smiled a little.

"And what about Vanitas?" The blonde asked.

Eraqus raised his eyebrow.

"I just saw him leaving the dining hall with an apple in his hand just moments before you," Eraqus said. "I'm surprised you didn't see him."

"Oh," Ventus said. "I didn't want to. I was just wondering."

"Mmmhmm," Eraqus mused. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow morning then?"

Ventus nodded and made his way to his room. The day was pretty well spent by then. He lay there with his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling and watching as the light shining through his window faded and changed from yellow to a deep orange and pink hue. As night descended, Ventus's eyelids seemed heavy and he yawned. Despite not doing anything, he'd neglected to find time to take a nap that day and he was exhausted. He rolled over, feeling the aches in his side from the day's training.

Maybe if I didn't eat so much of Aqua's cake on our days off, I wouldn't be so out of shape, Ventus thought right before he drifted off to sleep.

Ventus was shocked awake as he was practically pushed out of bed.

"Get your boots on, Ven. I want to show you something."

It was dark and Ventus was still half asleep as he groped around looking for his shoes. Someone shoved them into his hands and he pulled them on, yawning.

"Where are we going?" Ventus asked through his yawn, so his words were mushy.

The mysterious boy didn't answer, he simply pulled Ventus up out of bed and hurried him down the hallway before Ventus could protest. About halfway down the hall Ventus began to pull himself together and he thought about the voice that had awoken him. The dark silhouette that pulled him along had spiky hair and his hands seemed too cold. As soon as he realized who it was he tried to pull away, but it was too late.

They burst out into the night, the air warm and humid. Ventus's eyes widened as the lights from the night sky flooded down upon him. He stared up in awe as he watched the miraculous stars shoot across the blue-black sky and in that moment he hardly realized the fingers intertwined with his.

"Isn't it something?" Vanitas said.

Ventus blinked, still feeling groggy. He wondered for a moment if this was even real or if it was just another dream, like the one on the island. Something too good to be true.

"Come on," Vanitas said, tugging him down the steps. "You can see it better from the edge."

They walked out to the edge of the training field. Vanitas let go of Ven's hand and sat down to dangle his feet off the edge of the mountain. He leaned back on his hands and looked up at the sky while Ventus stood there looking at him, the amazed smile on his face, as if he'd never seen anything so wonderful in his entire life.

"Have you never seen a meteor shower before?" Ventus asked.

Vanitas shook his head. "Not where I'm from. Everything about your world is glorious. You're lucky."

Ventus was still standing awkwardly behind him, uninterested in the stars and more interested in Vanitas. He realized finally that he'd been staring for a couple of minutes and was glad Vanitas was too preoccupied to notice, but he still blushed.

Vanitas noticed Ven's face reddening for the night was bright under the celestial stars streaking through the sky.

"Why don't you sit down?" Vanitas asked.

"Oh," Ventus said, tensing up and standing straight as a board.

Vanitas grabbed his hand and pulled him down onto the grass, where Ven crumbled in a heap. He gathered himself, crossing his legs. Vanitas turned around to face him, leaning closer.

"You know, it's not fair to hate me by default," Vanitas told Ven.

"Who said I hated you?" Ventus asked.

Vanitas shrugged. "No one. You just act like it."

Ventus bit his lip. He looked down at his hands sitting in his lap and rubbed his fingers, just fidgeting for something to do.

"Why did you bring me out here with you?"

Vanitas glanced away from the dark night and looked into his blue eyes, seeing the sparkle of the meteors reflected in his pupils. His eyes were questioning and held an anticipation that was pressing at the seams.

He knew he couldn't say what he was feeling. I wanted to share something beautiful with you, Ventus. – who knows how he would react to that. So instead he gave an ambiguous answer.

"I don't know." Vanitas spoke. It was not enough to please Ventus, not nearly.

"There must be a reason. People don't just drag people out of bed in the middle of the night for no reason."

"I don't ask you so many questions," Vanitas said.

"No, so far you've only told me how I should feel," Ventus countered.

"But you can't deny that my advice is viable," Vanitas said.

Ventus hated that grin on his face, it made his blood hot and whelm up to his cheeks and it made his stomach flutter. He just wanted to hide so this stranger—because Vanitas was practically a stranger—wouldn't see him looking so embarrassed.

Vanitas scooted beside him and leaned back, looking up at the stars again. When Ventus glanced over, the look on Vanitas's face could only be interpreted as smug. He was happy, seeming to think he'd won this argument.

Instead of causing more conflict, Ventus resigned himself to lying down on his back and watching the stars. He could see Vanitas sitting next to him, only his back and his spiky hair and his hands which picked apart the thick, dark grass.

The ground was soft and the warm summer breeze blew around them, the sweet scent of water and flowers lulled him into a peaceful state of mind. He closed his eyes, thinking it would be only for a moment, but ended up swept away to another world. An island with star shaped fruit and a young boy whose face, if not for his young blue eyes, was identical to Vanitas. Something about that little boy was fascinating and Ventus felt drawn to him, felt like he was the answer to everything he'd always been searching for because as far back as he could remember there had been a void. He was always searching to fill that void but had come across no answers.

Maybe the answer is right there and you just don't see it…

"Ven, you hopeless sleepyhead."

"Whoa!"

Ventus sat up suddenly and smiled as he looked up to see Aqua's smiling face. She laughed softly and Ventus rubbed the back of his head.

It was morning and everyone was down by the field for training, even Terra, who glared off into the distance thoughtfully. He didn't want to be there and Eraqus had obviously dragged him down to the field. Vanitas was there too, but from the knowing way he looked over at Ventus he knew that he'd been left there all night for Aqua to find alone the next morning. It'd be their secret, he supposed, and something he wasn't eager to repeat. Although, Vanitas was right. He shouldn't hate him just because he was a stranger.

Maybe Terra's wrong for hating him. Maybe Vanitas deserves a chance.

Ventus stood up and saw Vanitas eyeing him up and down and bit his lip. It made Ventus blush and hide his face, he wasn't quite sure why, but the hungry way he looked at him made him uncomfortable because he didn't understand the hot tingling that spread across his skin.